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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — a position
  6. stand — to bear
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. last — finally
  14. wind — moving air
  15. last — to go on
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fork — in a road
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ground — crushed
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. last — final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com